Origins: How Life Began (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, examining the rise of life on earth. In the video, Tyson strings together the best scientific evidence available into a tapestry chronicling the conditions for life to arise, the biochemical mechanisms by which it replicates, and the role natural selection plays in evolution. This documentary would be an excellent showing for the following classes: biology, astronomy, geology, history, and chemistry. Of the 40 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of lower-level types. The concepts discussed include: spontaneous generation, extremophiles, cyanobacteria, biochemical interactions for life, elements needed for life, the Stanley Miller experiment, asteroid impacts, amino acid formation, impact energy and peptide formation, cellular replication, DNA, hydrothermal vents, photosynthesis, UV radiation, stromatolite colonies, and a functioning biosphere.

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Conceptual Science Lessons is a convenient place for science teachers to find the resources, knowledge, and ideas they need to teach today's generation of kinesthetic and visual learners. Our online resources are continually growing, created by educators who understand what engages students in the classroom. We stress quality over quantity.